CAPUTO: Red Wings got rude awakening Wednesday night

The Chicago Blackhawks are that good. The Red Wings have glaring flaws.

Both factors were clearly evident as Chicago opened a Western Conference semifinal Stanley Cup playoff series with a resounding 4-1 victory.

The Blackhawks werenít the least bit rusty after a relatively long layoff. They ambushed the Red Wings. The only reason the game was remotely close was the brilliance of Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard. This could have easily been a 6- or 7-goal blowout.

It was as if the ice was slanted like a downhill ski run at the Olympics toward Howardís goal crease.

The Blackhawks doubled the Red Wings in shots on goal - 42-21. And that was after a slow start.

The idea for the Red Wings, especially on the road, is to control tempo.

If it becomes up-and-down, end-to-end hockey, the Blackhawks are going to win the series. They are faster, bigger - even more experienced in many ways.

The idea is not unlike a basketball team that wants to make the game half-court rather than fast break, or a football team that wants to shorten the clock with a time-eating, ball-possession offense, against superior opponents.

The Red Wings can afford to bend. What they canít afford to do is break. With the score tied 1-1 in the third period, and after bending for what seemed to be forever, the Red Wings finally broke.

The first period was encouraging for the Red Wings - and misleading.

Predictably, the Blackhawks, who hadnít played in many days after ousting the Minnesota Wild in the opening round in five games, came out with much energy. They stormed Detroitís zone early in the first period, taking a 1-0 lead on a goal by Marian Hossa. It was setup by a bad turnover by Red Wingsí defenseman Niklas Kronwall and a pretty feed by Chicago captain Jonathan Toews. Yet, the Red Wings weathered the storm. By the end of the first period, the score was tied 1-1 after a goal by Detroit rookie Damien Brunner. As importantly, the game had slowed down to a pace more suitable to the Red Wings.

The second period was disturbing from the standpoint Chicago totally controlled the Red Wings. The Blackhawks held as 17-5 edge in shots on goal. But neither team scored. Jimmy Howard kept his team in the game. It was the bottom line.

Ideal? No. The Blackhawks, actually, look like the Red Wings during their salad days. However, they didnít score. It was still a 1-1 game entering the third period. It was right there for the Red Wings to take. They were doing what was necessary to win a playoff game on the road against a foe with better overall talent.

It was just too much for the Red Wings. The flood gates opened in the third period. Chicago finally scored a couple goals. By the point of the breakthrough, it was no longer a matter of if Chicago was going to score a go-ahead goal, but when.

You saw glimpses, though, how the Red Wings can make this a good series down the stretch of that game.

It was 3-1, and the Red Wings almost scored twice before an empty-net goal sealed their fate.

The odds of winning the series will improve for the Red Wings if they take better care of the puck in their own end, and start throwing more shots on Crawford.

It wasnít a good start for the Red Wings, however. They werenít just beaten by the Blackhawks. They were overwhelmed.

No silver linings in this cloud.

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for The Oakland Press. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his blog at theoaklandpress.com. You can follow him on Twitter @patcaputo98